


Therapeutic Effect

by PepperF



Series: British Museum [7]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-01
Updated: 2009-10-01
Packaged: 2017-12-09 20:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperF/pseuds/PepperF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to It's Been An Honor (this fic probably won't make much sense to anyone who's not read that one).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Therapeutic Effect

**Author's Note:**

> A very happy birthday to zats_clear for a couple of days ago – hope you had a wonderful day! And to aurora_novarum: happy birthday, sweetie!

"Oh, god."

Their guide looked back, so Daniel smiled toothily at him, and then nudged Sam. "Shh."

"Sorry, sorry, it's just – _look_." She pointed at the carvings that lined the walls of the museum, her face pale. "Daniel, it's—"

"I _remember_." It was pretty hard to forget. If Jack and Teal'c hadn't cooked up their craziest plan since, well, since their last crazy plan, Daniel would have an exciting new hole from which to hang jewelry. But he'd been in worse situations. Most of his nightmares centered on their escape, rather than events during their captivity.

He shivered, remembering anew the cold rush of air as the forest dropped away beneath his feet. Never again. Jack was a maniac if he thought hang-gliding was _fun_. Daniel had spent the entire flight wondering whether Icarus had been real.

It seemed that Sam hadn't yet dealt with her helplessness in the face of Daniel's imminent torture, though. She'd been really shaken by it – and quiet about it, afterwards, which was unlike her. Usually she'd talk to him about anything. He'd meant for this outing to help them both put the whole episode into context, but maybe it hadn't been such a great idea.

They followed the tour, Daniel listening with only half an ear as the guide explained some of the rituals in surprising depth. Mostly he watched Sam with growing concern. She looked a little shell-shocked, dragging along at the back of the tour, unhappy to listen, but seemingly unable to break away. She flinched visibly when the guide explained the carvings that depicted a noblewoman drawing a thorn-studded rope through her own tongue – but when they moved on to the next exhibit, she gasped.

"Sam?"

"...And this is a jade perforator, used for..."

Sam had gone deathly pale. Daniel glanced at the object, and took an involuntary step back, pulling Sam with him. "It's just a ceremonial model," he said, half to himself. The damn thing looked like a small spear. He stepped back again. "The real thing wasn't that... _huge_." Although, at the time, he would have sworn...

"I'll be outside," mumbled Sam through the hand firmly pressed against her mouth. She turned tail and fled, the double doors whooshing gently closed behind her.

The guide had paused in concern, and everyone turned to stare. Daniel smiled weakly. "She's, uh... she's very sensitive about violence," he shrugged, slowly backing towards the doors. "Thanks, it was really... detailed. I almost felt like I was there." He pointed after Sam. "I'm just gonna..." He gave a little wave to the group. "Enjoy the rest of your tour."

He found Sam all the way outside the museum, seated on a marble bench and folded almost in half, her forehead pressed to her knees, slowly breathing the fresh Fall air.

"Sorry," she said, as he sat beside her.

"Me too. This, uh... might not have been such a great idea."

Sam tipped her head sideways, and smiled wanly at him. "Give it time," she said, sounding much more reassuring than she looked. "It'll all seem funny in a few months. I'll probably buy you one of those barbell things for Christmas."

Daniel winced. "Yeah, um. Please don't. I've already got three." At Sam's look, he began to tick them off on his fingers. "Well, I think the one I found in my locker was from SG-3. Another one was definitely from Rothman – the man still has an undergraduate sense of humor. The third one was from Cassie, of all people." He shook his head, dropping his hands to his lap as Sam sat up. "Janet's bringing that girl up wrong."

Sam's smile looked much more genuine, this time. "Well, in fairness to Janet, I think it's the Colonel who's been telling tales out of school." She leaned against him, and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm really glad you're okay, Daniel. But can we never, _ever_ visit that exhibition again?"

"I have absolutely no problem with that," agreed Daniel, fervently.

\---

END.


End file.
